1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to flat panel displays. More specifically, the present invention relates to an exposure apparatus and an exposure method for fabricating flat panel displays.
2. Description of the Related Art
Large flat panel displays (FPDs), such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and plasma displays, are currently desirable due to the fact that they can support large screen sizes while remaining thin and relatively low-weight. The fabrication of an FPD panel often involves transferring mask patterns onto a substrate through a proximity exposure process. An exposure apparatus used in this exposure process may include a plurality of masks, each having a smaller size than that of the substrate that is to be exposed to light. In addition, the exposure apparatus may include a blocking unit which blocks light from reaching areas of the substrate that are not to be exposed to light.
When this exposure apparatus is used in an exposure process, the amount of light irradiated onto the substrate is often not constant due to the blocking unit. That is, different areas of the substrate receive differing amounts of light during an exposure process. Accordingly, stain defects can be generated in an exposure area of the substrate, resulting in a reduction in the quality of display panels manufactured using this exposure apparatus.